Arang and the Magistrate: Episode 3

This show was mostly just fun before, but now it has my heart. What a lovely episode about facing death and challenging fate. Arang finally gets some answers, but it comes as a heartbreaking revelation, both to her and to us. You’d think we’d be prepared for a ghost to face her own mortality, but it turns out death is hard on everyone, even the dead.

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EPISODE 3 RECAP

Arang moves in for the kiss… and just as their lips meet… Eun-oh wakes up from his dream. Drat! You and your vivid dreams. He wakes up saying he’s gone insane, and in thoroughly modern slang at that.

He sends trusty servant Dol-swe to deliver a letter to young master Joo-wal (Arang’s pre-ghost fiancé) asking for a meeting today, and Dol-swe just asks how long he’s going to keep “playing magistrate,” like he’s twelve and making pillow forts. Eun-oh assures him it won’t be long.

The Jade Emperor and the King of the Underworld have a lovely afternoon fishing up in heaven, and Jade Emperor tsk-tsks that Hades has upped his wrinkle count lately. Well now you’re just rubbing it in.

Hades says it’s all those renegade ghosts running amok on his watch that are messing with his energy, and then chides, “What about those souls that disappeared? It’s been four hundred years!”

Jade Emperor clears his throat guiltily and pats his hand, “I do feel sorry about that.” Hades says he promised to go down and fix it, but why hasn’t he done that by now?

Jade Emperor: “Do you know why you’re so slow to mature but so quick to age? It’s that hasty temper of yours. Just wait.” Hahaha. Yoo Seung-ho just called Park Joon-kyu immature. Aaahhh, I love it.

Hades warns that if he doesn’t take care of it soon, he’ll do things his way.

Kinda-shaman Bang-wool brings in a brand new hanbok and makeup for Arang, who lights up at all the pretty things she gets to have. She ditches her old worn clothes and puts on the finest from head to toe and makes up her face… only to check the mirror and still not see anything. She pouts.

Outside, Eun-oh paces back and forth, wondering what’s taking her so long. She finally comes out… and he goes slackjawed at the pretty. It’s so cute.

She and Bang-wool both ask expectantly if she looks any better, and he blusters that whatever, she just looks like a slightly less terrible-looking ghost. Mmm-hmm. He tells her to stay put until he comes to get her.

Bang-wool pleads with Arang to leave her alone now—isn’t it enough that she made her into a thief? Were they enemies in a past life? Doesn’t she have a conscience? Arang quietly slips away, hanging her head. Aw.

She decides to go wait for Eun-oh and daintily picks up her skirt hem so it doesn’t touch the ground. Eun-oh shakes his head as he walks through town, muttering to himself that he can’t get used to it—it was better when she was hanging upside-down and being a scary ghost.

He credits the clothes, saying they really are like wings. He sighs, “That’s it, I have to stick around. Who knows what kind of trouble she’ll cause? Until she regains her memory, even if I don’t want to, we have to be together.”

Pffft. You just keep telling yourself that it’s for HER good. He whirls around and heads back.

Arang heads into town and realizes a plan that doesn’t involve the magistrate—she can just take the magic herbs that make her corporeal and figure out her own mystery without Eun-oh. She figures that she’ll just be moving on to the afterlife anyway; what’s the harm in bending the rules for a bit?

So she goes to see the blackmarket dealer, not realizing that she’s picked up three angry ghosts on her tail. They ambush her in the abandoned barn, upset about her getting involved in that scuffle over the appeasement food.

She scoffs at the petty dispute, and throws the first punch. I love this girl. They attack and the thing she’s most upset about is them ruining her new outfit. She puts up an impressive fight… but more and more of this gang’s ghosts appear and soon she’s thoroughly outnumbered.

She knocks them down, kicks, head-butts, all the while screaming, “I said don’t step on my clothes!” But soon she’s getting slapped around, and they hold her still for the leader to raise his arm…

When suddenly a kick sends him flying. It’s Eun-oh! He kicks and then in the same motion, pulls Arang out of the fray… and right into his arms. Who says you can’t kick ass and have your romance too?

He finally remembers himself and pushes her away, wondering how it is she lives her life that she’s constantly surrounded by people who all want a piece of her. And then he notices her ripped up clothes and has a mini freakout about how much they cost.

The ghosts just stare: isn’t that… a human? He threatens them with his bag of red beans and they all take a step back. He empties the bag dramatically into his hand, producing One. Tiny. Bean. Hahaha.

Commence fight. Oooh, badass! Eun-oh tears through the ghosts with one awesome move after another, and it’s Arang’s turn to have her slackjawed moment.

I love that she fights back too, and he runs to her side to ask if she’s okay. But these guys are ghosts, and they just keep getting back up. Arang warns them that they’ve messed with a human, so reapers are on their way.

They gang up on Eun-oh up in the rafters, and he takes out his fan (non-magic, just handy) to use as a weapon. Okay, I could watch these fight sequences all day, cheesy wirework and all. It’s so fun.

He sees Arang being strangled and fights his way over to her, and they get backed into a corner. Man, these ghosts really don’t die. Er, stay down.

But just in the knick of time, two reapers come floating down from the skies and start attacking. Eun-oh grabs Arang and they take off running. She goes spectral as soon as they’re in plain sight, and Eun-oh just looks like he’s running with his arm hanging behind him.

Once they’re safely away, she breaks free from his grasp and looks down at her muddied, torn hanbok with a long face, not wanting to go meet Joo-wal that way. He snaps with annoyance, “Oh, you won’t go looking like that?”

She cries that Joo-wal can’t see her anyway so it doesn’t matter, and stomps off. It even starts to pour rain to fit her down-in-the-dumps mood, and Eun-oh wonders what he’s doing, tailing after a rain-soaked ghost.

By the time they get to the meeting place, Joo-wal has already gone. Arang sighs, “Why is there nothing that goes right in my life?” Eun-oh agrees, naming the string of unfortunate things, like dying young, having ghost amnesia, not being able to make a new outfit last a day…

He leans in close, “It probably feels so unfair that you can’t go on to the afterlife this way, right?” Aw. You want her to stay.

Arang screams in his face (but directed to the heavens): “What did I do that was so wrong?! YOU MEAN OLD FOGEY! YOU MEAN OLD FOGEY!”

Her cries ring up into the sky and through the clouds, up to the bridge where the Jade Emperor starts at the noise. Hades chuckles that someone’s looking for him, and Jade Emperor counters that she said “old fogey,” so it was clearly not directed at him.

As they resume their badook game, he hears her cries asking what she did so wrong, and smiles to himself knowingly. As he puts down his stone, the clouds roar down on earth, and suddenly up from the soaked ground floats up a red ribbon…

As the rain stops, someone comes running into the magistrate’s office up in arms. The same at Joo-wal’s house…

Eun-oh runs into Dol-swe panicking along with everyone else and asks what happened. Dol-swe: “They found a dead body. A young lady…”

Eun-oh arrives at the crime scene, where a body that was buried in the ground was uncovered from the massive rainfall. Hm, did the king of heaven make it rain like that on purpose?

They’ve identified her as the former magistrate’s daughter who disappeared three years ago. The servant Eun-oh met outside her room now wails by the body. He sees the familiar hanbok and knows it’s her.

He crouches down to uncover her face, and there’s something so shocking about the realization that she’s really dead. I knew she was, but it didn’t seem so real until this moment. The others wonder what ghostly magic kept her preserved so well for three long years.

He scans her corpse and doesn’t see his mother’s hairpin. Curious, that.

They tell him she was likely murdered—stabbed with a knife, and he remembers Arang telling him she felt a pain in her side. He turns around… and finds her standing there.

He blocks her view, “Don’t look. Don’t look.” But she pushes him aside…

And sees her cold, lifeless body on the ground. Oof. Her eyes fill with pain and shock, and her step falters. She whispers, “Why am I… why… why am I…”

She turns and runs in the other direction. Eun-oh starts to go after her, but stops when he sees Joo-wal arrive.

Arang runs and runs through a field, as we hear her cries in voiceover: “Why, why do I have to be lying there, like that? Why did I have to die?”

Flashbacks show us how she went from her first days as a ghost, in shock and starving from hunger, eventually learning the ways to survive in this world. She learned to fight back, take what she could, always be on the run.

As we cut back to her in the field, she cries her heart out, tears falling as she runs full force, like she might never stop.

She finally runs all the way to the river, and collapses to the ground in sobs.

Joo-wal stands over the body of his fiancée, still stoic, still cryptic. His servant announces that they’ll be taking the body, but Eun-oh puts a stop to that. This is a murder scene and he won’t have anybody moving anything.

They ask who the hell he is to challenge Master Joo-wal. Eun-oh: “Me? Magistrate.” Haha. You tarzan, me magistrate? The Bang Trio nod their heads to confirm the unfortunate truth. He is the magistrate.

Joo-wal asks about the missed meeting earlier, and Eun-oh says he wanted to ask him something, but it seems a moot point now. Joo-wal doesn’t press him on the matter but puts up a fight about the corpse—he’s on Father’s orders to deal with this quietly.

Eun-oh counters that if his fiancée was murdered, this is a matter of clearing her name and recovering her honor (since she was presumed to have run off with a scoundrel out of wedlock). Isn’t that important to him?

But Joo-wal says their family is more concerned with keeping people from talking about this issue all over again. Really, gossip is your big concern? What is your deal, buddy? I’m so damn curious.

Eun-oh understands that he must’ve held a grudge over the last three years thinking that she left him, but Joo-wal corrects him—he felt nothing. He hardly knew the girl, and saw her face only once after being betrothed.

He can barely remember what she looks like, and “one must have feelings for another in order to feel resentment.” Ooooh, interesting. Eun-oh takes this all in with a wary eye.

Joo-wal says he doesn’t care what the magistrate does with the body, but his father might feel differently. He says it like a warning, with a hint of a smile.

Arang cries herself to sleep at the riverbank and wakes up at nightfall.

Eun-oh stands by as her servant burns her clothes in tears, apologizing that she has to send her this way, hoping she’ll go to a better place. He sighs that he told Arang not to look at the body, wondering where she ran off to alone.

Dol-swe says he moved the body into the agasshi’s room and asks what Eun-oh plans to do now. He doesn’t really know, but says he’ll ask. Dol-swe thinks he means Lord Choi, but Eun-oh means Arang: he’ll have to ask what she wants to do, whether it’s recover her honor, capture her killer, or just bury it all.

The agasshi’s body lies in her room in burial clothes. Arang comes through the wall and sits by her side, staring at her face for a while. “So this is what you look like. That’s what your eyes look like. And your nose. And your mouth. You were pretty.” She says it so sadly, with a tear brimming in her eye.

“But why were you in such a cold, dirty place? Why were you just lying there like a victim? What happened? Who did this to you?” Tears drip as she pleads with her to know the answers. “Why don’t you know, stupid? Why don’t you know?”

She wipes away her tears and vows: “You wait. I’ll find out for you.”

She sits on the roof and looks up at the moon. “Old fogey! I don’t know how to pray… but listen anyway. You were looking down from up there, so you can see everything. What happened to her? Just tell me what you saw. Please just tell me.”

She decides that’s not enough and folds her hands and closes her eyes, “King of Heaven, every bad thing I did up until now… I was wrong. And the cursing too. If you just tell me, I won’t do anything, and I’ll be good and go on to the next life. Okay? … Okay? … OKAY?!”

She throws her hands down in exasperation. “So you’re not gonna tell me, is that it, you old fogey?!” Her cries echo in heaven and the Jade Emperor jumps again.

This time Hades tells him to leave it alone: “That one’s all mine, particularly with aggravated punishment.” Jade Emperor says she promised to come quietly if he tells her, and he sometimes answers prayers.

Hades argues not to keep messing with the balance, because whenever things go awry he’s the one who has to clean up after him. And then he gets labeled the “bad god” while the Jade Emperor gets to be the “good god.”

Hades: “Is there anything less fair in the whole world?!”

The Jade Emperor looks up in surprise, “Do you really think about those things?” Hades fumes and yells to cover up his embarrassment, and Jade Emperor just chuckles. You cheeky. I actually feel bad for the king of hell.

Eun-oh sits with the body, wondering where Arang went.

Bang-wool prays to be struck with shamanistic powers and crumbles at the sound of Arang’s voice, here for another favor. Next thing you know, she’s creeping through a spooky, deserted part of town in terror.

She comes to a door sealed off with a talisman. Arang appears beside her and asks what it is. Bang-wool says it’s like a door to the other side—it’s the only place where they can do what Arang is asking. Oooh, dark magicks? Things are getting interesting…

They creep inside and then Bang-wool opens up her spell book, warning that if things go wrong, they’re both dead. She’s alive so she’ll just end up a ghost, but Arang’s already a ghost… so she’ll just disappear.

Arang says she’s already dead so what’s the diff? But Bang-wool means that she’d become someone who never existed at all, and there’s a huge difference between having existed and died and never existing at all.

Eun-oh can’t handle waiting any longer and leaves Dol-swe in charge of guarding the body and heads out to look for Arang.

Joo-wal seems obsessed with that moon; he stares at it all night. Dad comes out to belittle him for not even managing to handle one thing, and then says something curious—that he’s wearing the form well. Like… his body, or just metaphorically his outerwear? WHAT ARE YOU?

He warns that despite being dressed in the finest, “People can always tell the difference between real and fake.” Did you replace your son with a robot? A cylon perhaps? Is he another Joo-wal from another dimension?

Dad wonders if he can cope with the full moon and warns that if any misfortune befalls his house because of him, he won’t let it go. Wait is it not the full-full moon yet? Then is werewolf still on the table? So is plain human, of course, since they could be cryptic for cryptic’s sake.

Back to Mystery Spell Central. Bang-wool feels around for a while and then uncovers a hidden wall, with a strange pattern burned into the wood. A gust of wind blows Arang back. It’s the same mark on her neck—the one the dead all share.

Bang-wool takes out another pattern that she brought with her, that Arang couldn’t touch. She hangs it up. She asks Arang to tell her what exactly they’re trying to catch—it would help if she knew. But she doesn’t answer.

Instead, she blows on Bang-wool’s face, and suddenly her skin is covered in boils. She screams and cowers in the corner. What just happened?

Arang says she’s sorry, and wonders to herself if that was enough for them to come. Oh, are you calling the reapers? The scary reapers??

She says in a defeated voice that she’s decided to go to the afterlife, and thanks Bang-wool for making her time here bearable. Bang-wool does seem happy at the news that Arang will finally be leaving, but then asks, “Does this mean I’ll never get to see you again?”

Arang resigns herself with a yes, and then feels the air change. She turns around, “Have you come?”

Mu-young appears behind her, “Are you ready to return now?” Arang says she’ll go and he can sleep peacefully now—only she has one request. She’ll go if she can meet the Jade Emperor.

He tells her that’s not possible, and she argues that those are the terms. He starts to inch toward her with that red reaper’s rope, and she eyes the wall behind him.

She says she has to ask that old fogey something, and yells it over again suspiciously, like a code word. Finally Bang-wool snaps out of her trembling fear and pushes one seal over the other… creating a giant vortex into who knows where.

The wall opens up and sucks Mu-young to the wall, where he hangs on by the edge. Arang gets sucked in too, and clamps onto his chest. He demands to know what she’s doing, warning her that she’ll get sucked in and disappear too.

She says it doesn’t matter—she has nothing left to lose. But he’s different, since he’s a high-up grim reaper with lots of work left to do. She demands to see the Jade Emperor.

Up in heaven, the badook game is not going well for the Jade Emperor and he sighs that trouble’s afoot. Hades laughs that it’s all over.

Mu-young struggles to keep them from falling into the abyss, and asks why she’s going to such lengths. Arang says even if she told him, he wouldn’t understand. He stands his ground and says he doesn’t make deals with ghosts, and struggles to untie the seal to close the portal.

Back up in heaven, Hades chuckles that it’s in the bag… and the Jade Emperor puts down the last stone to win the game. He shrinks back in horror; he was so close to winning! He pleads with his brother to take back just one move.

Jade Emperor asks oh-so-mischievously: “Then what’ll you do for me?”

Suddenly the King of the Underworld’s voice rings down from the heavens, “Mu-young!” We don’t hear the message, but Mu-young grits his teeth and tells Arang that he’ll honor her request.

Love. It.

She tells Bang-wool that it’s done and she un-hooks the seal. They fall to the ground, safely on this plane of existence.

Mu-young growls at her never to pull a stunt like this again, and she hmphs that they’re never likely to be in such proximity anymore.

Up in heaven, Jade Emperor takes back the one fateful stone and smiles. Hades grumbles and resumes the game.

Eun-oh runs everywhere in search of her, “Amnesia, where have you gone?”

At the same time, Mu-young leads her somberly through the woods, to take her to the afterlife.

COMMENTS

I love this episode. How great is it to have the kings of heaven and hell mess with the fates of lower beings over a freaking badook game? I was waiting and hoping for the integration between the two worlds, because there’d be no point in creating the characters if they weren’t going to matter, but the way they were used in this episode just made my day. Arang and Mu-young are fighting for their lives, facing absolute disappearance into the abyss of never-been-born, and they’re trading souls like chips in an amusing little game. The Jade Emperor’s particular brand of cheeky manipulation is so fun and though I don’t think he’s quite as benevolent as everyone believes him to be, I love his calm against his brother’s seething impatience. They make for a great pair.

I didn’t expect to be so moved by Arang discovering her body and facing her death, and perhaps it’s because she has no memory that it hits her as if it’s just happened, but when she sees herself lying there and then cries asking Why me? it’s such a powerful moment. I knew she was dead, and she knew she was dead, but somehow the uncovering of the body brought the supernatural back down to earth. It felt real, and tragic, and I felt like Eun-oh, wanting to shield her from having to see.

What struck me was how she kept talking about herself—her dead body—as if she were someone else. She talked to her like she was speaking to another person, and that divide felt right to me. Arang the ghost has developed her own personality, with no memory of who she was, and became a girl who fights back to survive in the world. When she asked why the other girl didn’t fight, why she just fell victim and died like that, I realized how different Seo-rim and Arang really are. Seo-rim’s story is tragic, but it’s Arang who makes me root for her—the girl who looks the grim reaper in the eye and challenges the king of heaven to make it right. (Also, I cannot wait till she meets The Pretty in person. What will she change his nickname to? Flower Boy Gramps?)

My absolute favorite thing about her is that she takes matters into her own hands, fate, gods, and the universe be damned. And that sort of gutsy heroine just gets me *right here.* The idea that she might be more than just a ghost trying to solve her own mystery, but someone who changes the course of fate opens up a whole new world for the story. I’m so intrigued by characters like Mu-young and Joo-wal, who are so judiciously doled out one slice at a time. It makes me crazy with the curiosity in the best way—I want to know everything, but am so glad they’re biding their time with the side characters.

Eun-oh didn’t get as much to do here since it was Arang’s story taking center stage, but it’s great to have him develop feelings for her this early in the game. He’s clearly attracted to her and searching for reasons to make her stay, even if he can’t admit it, so as far as the rom-com element of the story goes, it’s full-steam ahead. They’re a great couple—sizzling chemistry, great comic timing, and now they can add action duo to their roster. I’d like very much to see them fight their way through town to knock some answers out of people. Well, in between the bickering and the smooches.

Show, if you keep the magic coming, both in the story and out, I’m all yours.

August 22, 2012 at 7:08 PM

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Arang!! You BLOW me away!! AAAAH Why so exciting!!

This ep Eun oh and Arang spent more time away from each other... But SO MUCH GOT DONE!! So much happenings, Ghost wormhole??? LOL The two brothers are playing chess whilst I am biting my nails at what will happen, I already saw the preview so I know what kinda will happen... but.... MAN, the tension is AWESOME!
Thank you so much for the piping hot recap girlfriday! =D

August 24, 2012 at 9:44 AM

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Can I say that I was falling asleep wacthing it?? and then I actually decided to sleep instead of seeig more???
Yes, really boring to me!!
I don't understand you all, sorry if I replied on your comment, but aniway..
I'd just like to know what was so exciting, could you tell me?
(also sorry for the bad english)

August 22, 2012 at 8:07 PM

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Haha LMH and me we have a deal as long as he is THE ONE really does not care.. that much ;) ( but to tell the truth Ernest bot and Boong Do were cutting kinda reallllly close.)

This episode i just fell for Eun-oh - the fight, and also the semi tantrum he throws when he woke up.
For me this show is all about Arang totally love that girl errr ( ghost). Move away spineless i need help from the scary man damsel in distress heroins. Arang- the girls who can kick ass as well as care about her dress and has the guts to call the bloody king of the Heaven "OLD FOGEY' is here!

August 22, 2012 at 8:26 PM

August 22, 2012 at 8:32 PM

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Hmmmm... Interesting arrangement you and LMH have. OK, whatever floats you guys boat. I am not in the running (I just like looking at him, plus, I think I care more about him as a person as a whole, not just as an actor. I am not a stalker, however, I swear :-). When I like a celebrity, I find myself wondering what their life (real life) must be like and what are the challenges they must face (that we don't know about), that kind of thing. Whoever wants them, can have them. I was so surprised at how happy I was for LMH when he was dating PMY because I knew that he had mentioned a few times that he wanted a girlfriend. That confirmed to me that I just wanted him to be happy (and that I didn't have to be the one to make him happy) (I don't think I would want to, to be honest).

Did we use to communicate during the K2Hs? Because your screen name looks familiar to me and I remember talking with someone about cloning Earnest Bot. Was that you? :-). I do agree with you, earnest Bot and Boong Do would be great boyfriend materials (I am chuckling as I am typing this). I can't believe we are actually finding prototypes of boyfriends in Kdramas, LOL...

I couldn't get into Arang. Tried the 1st epi and decided it wasn't for me. I wasn't hooked, I am not a fan of LJK or Shin Mina, although they do look good. To each its own, I guess. Based on your reaction, I might give it another try, maybe, later, down the road. I do like feisty heroines, however. Are the semi tantrums worth watching? (just wondering...)

August 22, 2012 at 8:42 PM

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I don't obsess over him ( seriously i don't) but i think he is good looking and i like most of the characters he has played so far, or how he has played it. I am like you i like knowing how they live their lives and the difficulties.. ( its that innate reporter in me i swear! and according to my dad Why used to be my favorite word - it sill is ;) ) And i really wanted things to work between him and PMY.
And yes i think we did gush over Earnest Bot while TK2H was airing ( i went back to check it).
As for Arang, i like it.. its a hoghpogh of everything but it works. And the semi tantrum, well its the type that the heroins always do with the whole body shake, and i think he was doing a slightly masculine version of it, which i enjoyed watching. And arang is feisty, she was was kicking ass of the other ghost.. There was some "oh woe me" moment but it was that frequent.

August 22, 2012 at 9:11 PM

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Ivoire: I'm not Slowfie, but I would check out Arang. She isn't really a tantrum thrower at this point. She's more fiesty. And the scenery and filming of that drama are BEAUTIFUL. It's pretty just to watch. I like the magic and the different realms. It really is quite good so far. Check it out and see if it's your thing.

August 22, 2012 at 10:04 PM

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the tantrum- i was talking about was something that Eun-oh did, but now that i look aback to its it was not so much of a tantrum.. *sorry* .. but some of his Eun-oh actions are a bit childish- scaring his servant..

August 22, 2012 at 9:26 PM

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i would recognize you three from a mile away if you were devoted K2H followers.

Ivoire, you should continue watching this show. sometimes it takes more than an episode to get hooked.
well, it's like that most the time, isnt it? heh.
I can understand, given that the first episode had a more comedic tone to it, and there were many things that seemed mysterious to us.
i feel like things are slowly unraveling and the tone is starting to feel more like something i can feel with -- the emotional part.

August 23, 2012 at 8:28 AM

August 22, 2012 at 9:59 PM

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Hi guys, quickly read your answers and just wanted to let you know that I will be back later to answer. So good to read from you, really made my day. Just came out of an interview which made me think I might not want that job (with that family).

@ Rashell, how come (this is the 2nd time) I hear from you after I have had a challenging time :-)... I think this liking LMH thing is bringing me some cheers as well (from some unexpected places). Thank you guys. Talk to you guys later, please check back later.

August 23, 2012 at 3:39 PM

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@ Rashell,

About your 1st line: if you are, then I am grateful :-)!

About your 2nd (short) #: Thank you for reminding me to breathe and not stress out. I will keep telling myself that.

About your 3rd (short) #: I knew you two had agreed to share, which was partially why I was OK making that comment. Sorry about "the little pang in your heart," that was cute and funny :-)... Thank you for bringing a smile to my face.

August 22, 2012 at 7:19 PM

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Love Arang but what is up with all the slow motions?. Its so over-done in this drama. Everytime Arang runs...oh here we go (ruuuuuuuuuun Araaaaaaaang ruuuuuuuuuuun) and the fight scene was going great and then .......Eun-ho's foooooot.....oooooon baaaaaaaaad......duuuuuuuuuude's aaaaaaaaasssssssssssssss Arggggggg. Its driving me insane.

August 22, 2012 at 7:32 PM

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thanks, girlfriday. you are fast. very fast. i m beginning to love this show. initially i was just watching because there isn't any good show after A gentleman's dignity ended. but now i think i am hooked. totally hooked.

August 22, 2012 at 8:44 PM

August 22, 2012 at 8:34 PM

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Yes, I know, I think he is a kinda of dead-human who needs to kill another people like him to survive? Stole its power.... I don't know lol but what his father said tonight made it so suspicious...... as if he isn't a normal human being. And I don't think he is a werewolf.

And the 10 minute trailer confused me at first, how he can see her and touch her? She must be alive then!

August 23, 2012 at 1:35 AM

August 23, 2012 at 10:15 AM

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Viki is mean to my country too. :(

But I wait for the subs to come out at kimchidramas. They churned out Episode 3 pretty fast compared to the first 2 episodes (it took them like a week!). I hope this goes the same for the rest of the episodes.

August 23, 2012 at 10:52 AM

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Okay, on to say something about this episode:

What struck me here is the amazing chemistry not just between LJK and SMA, but for the others as well.

Bang-wool's chemistry with SMA is fantastic! And she doesn't even see her (it cracks me up every time she looks to the wrong direction!). Hah. I love that their relationship is a twist to the typical lead-actress'-best-friend.

Bang-wool is thrown into this unlikely situation and despite her being fearful and annoyed of Arang, she goes on and helps her every single time. She's irritated and wants Arang to leave her alone, she's scared of what Arang might do to her, but despite that, we feel how she has grown fond of this ghost and that she actually does care about Arang's well-being. I love Bang-wool!

As for the two gods (their chemistry is also amazing!), I wonder how they're going to make Yoo Seung Ho leave the show? Is this really just an extended cameo? I just feel like the Jade Emperor will and should play an essential role in the plot until the very end. So how is he going to be left out in the story? In other words: Yoo Seung Ho, Y U LEAVING THE SHOW? PLEASE STAY T.T

August 23, 2012 at 10:58 AM

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Oh, I forgot to add, I didn't know that Joo-wal is actually an adopted son of Lord Choi! Keke. I only read the character descriptions now.

All this time, I was wondering why there's such an animosity and coldness (even subdued cruelty) between the two. I mean, both are essentially cold in the first place, but I was wondering why Lord Choi is so mean to his own son (even if Joo-wal is some sort of a... whatever-he-is).

August 22, 2012 at 8:03 PM

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This drama is building up so nicely. I'm loving all the characters and the magical elements. I'm dying to know what the seceret is with Joo Wal. And also very curious about the Lords of both after worlds. Plus I'd like more back story about the reapers. Not to mention the solving of Arang's murder. With some real romance thrown in. When this drama sold itself as a little bit of everything before it's premiere, I figured it was exagerating. But now I see it really is a bit of everything, and it's all wonderful. LOVE it so far. Hope the awesome keeps coming.

August 22, 2012 at 8:09 PM

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GF thank you for your hard work!!!

Since the drama "Joseon X-Files", no other drama IMHO, has come close to it until right now, to embody all the qualities, of what a Rom/Com/SciFi/Historical drama should be all about!
I am officially sold out on this drama, not only the cinematography is way to beautiful, but the story line along with a superb acting, has made this drama more than what I could ever ever wish for!
I totally agree with your comments! Thank you again!!!!

August 22, 2012 at 8:30 PM

August 22, 2012 at 8:33 PM

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Seriously, the mystery of Joo Wal is killing me! But I also love not knowing, because he's that much creepier. Whereas slowly learning more about Moo Young makes me like him more and more (there may be some residual General Choi love thrown in).

This show is sooo awesome, and I love love love the darkness in this world. So great.

August 22, 2012 at 8:36 PM

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After this episode I can't really say Bang-wool is not powerful! No ghost can touch those seals and she can just make anyone disappear with that portal! Well, she was all scared during all the process, but that's such a lovely way to be true to her character! Love her and all the other characters in this show! :)

August 22, 2012 at 8:37 PM

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Thanks for recap! :)

Hmm... I'm wondering, it's only episode 3 and yet the pace of the story is consistence. With the preview of the next ep, does that mean she's gone to the afterlife to find her memory or to reincarnate? Is he going to go after her and bring her back... to life? Lots of ideas that I haven't seen done in Kdramas before. I likey. ^_^

August 22, 2012 at 8:41 PM

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WOO. just came from finishing today's episode.
I have got to say, show, you finally have me. Officially hooked. The first two episodes already caught my attention, but i feel like today's episode delved deeper into the depths of our emotions and questioned things like death/fate.
I found the heaven/hell gods to be cute, with their playing badook and all, but now i'm quite interested in how things will unfold once arang meets up with them.
Perhaps the gods will make a deal with arang and give her a chance at uncovering the mystery behind her death..Maybe, Jade emperor, like GF said, made the rainfall sweep the body to shore for a reason.
And the fact that that body has been so well preserved for 3 years?! i mean something is in play here. This gives me hope that perhaps.. JUST perhaps, arang will return to her body? Who else is excited about this? Maybe we will have a happy ending.
There's so much more to this fantasy world that i'm so curious about, and i can't wait for tomorrows episode! weee.

"Dad comes out to belittle him for not even managing to handle one thing, and then says something curious—that he’s wearing the form well. Like… his body, or just metaphorically his outerwear? WHAT ARE YOU?"

August 22, 2012 at 8:44 PM

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BTW, i just love arang because i'm pro-heroine badassery, and the way the writers portrayed her is just totally awesome by my books.
And I was surprised by our eun-oh's swift moves! I was not expecting him to be skilled at fighting. Keep the surprises coming!
Makes me love our characters even more.

August 22, 2012 at 8:47 PM

It was hinted pretty early on that Joo-wal was unearthly -- what with the mysterious ring and his intense interest in the phases of the moon.

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo... he was or he wasn't Arang's original betrothed? Did he swap souls? Is he undead possessing a human body? Is that why Arang ran away, only to get killed?

I'm so curious!! Kininarimasu!

Oh, Muyoung. I don't know much about you, but I feel for you. Whatever it is that's making you sad is making me sad, too.

Bawool shaman is awesome. The characters across the board are fairly awesome (though Joowal and fake/real father are seemingly a bit flat in terms of "YES. WE'RE BAD GUYS." But yeah. I love her. I empathize with her: she is working so hard to be something great, but somehow falls short. I love that she has to refer to an instruction manual to open the portal! She's awesome! I know! I already said that!

Obvs Joowal has to do with Arang's death. I wonder why she was of such interest. Did she see something? Did she see him change shape or swap souls with something otherworldly? Was her fiancee's soul stolen? Was the story of her running away with the commoner lover just a front? Was there even a commoner lover in the first place??? Kininarimasu!!

We need some more info from the assi's nanny-woman. She must know more than she lets on.

August 23, 2012 at 5:33 AM

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Yeah I am loving Mu young as well... I rewatched the ending part and realised that he was almost brotherly on how he chided Arang... Its not just fierce and he is actually willing to listen to what she has to say instead of using that green ray zapper thingy on her...

Maybe Arang, him, Eun Oh and Eun oh's mom will be the bottom of solving that 400 soul missing problem mentioned by the Jade Emperor and Hades?

August 23, 2012 at 7:45 PM

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in addition, i think arang was a bad person when she was living , coz why would King Hades says that she's his. it. The angel of Death says that her destination is hell and not heaven, so she cannot meet the Jade Emperor.

I also find the eun-oh's mother's hairpin mysterious, why does the body didnt have the hairpin on her hair whilst arang was wearing it as a ghost.

I think Jo-wal is the servant who killed Arang.
or eun-uh's mother killed arang after arang wanted to eat her (i assume arang was a bad person here)

and i agree in one post here that maybe , arang, jowal, eun-hu's mother and moyoung will be the key people the solve the mystery of the 400 hundred souls, also with the help og the magistrate and bangwol.

but i was just thinking how can we have a happy romance ending between arang and the magistrate. ?
aahhh, that's why i'm lovin' this show , much! keep it coming!

August 22, 2012 at 8:58 PM

Anyway... I, too, can watch Lee Junk Ki and Shin Min Ah kick ass for 20 minutes.... After perhaps the first 3 minutes of awesomeness, I thought to myself "gee, this is a really long scene!" then after another minute, I told myself "I can watch this aaaaall day!" ahhah!!!

LOVE this drama so far! I'm also DYING to know what the deal is with everyone! There seems to be alot more magic than I had anticipated.... which is totally cool - 'cause that means I have no idea what's going to happen. I LOVE this stuff!!!

August 23, 2012 at 5:46 AM

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Actually after checking with my best friend, Google, it says:

"Scientists have recently realized that sphagnum moss, a type of moss often found in bogs, also contributes to the preservation process by extracting calcium from bones, giving the micro-organisms less on which to feed. This means that if a body is completely submerged in the peat bog soon after death, it will not rot and its soft tissues—skin, hair and internal organs—will be preserved."

I know, I am such a geek. Is secretly happy the writers do good research, otherwise its some supernatural reason that she is still fine.

But the Jade Emperor seemed to have intentionally let it storm so the water was disturbed and thus she floated to the surface....

August 22, 2012 at 9:30 PM

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The second her body was found i was like what? hold up. it's been 3 years since her murder, and yet, the body looks like it's been preserved well.
and then, right after that, you get a character questioning how on earth the body has not yet decayed.
I think this is one of the many mysteries this show will continue to unravel.
Maybe there's a higher being(ahem, jade emperor)who understands arang's unjust death, and perhaps, he is the one behind the preservation of her body.
There's a possibility he will give our arang another chance at life.

August 22, 2012 at 9:44 PM

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I think in the folklore this drama is sort of based off of, the hate for the man who had wronged her was so powerful, it kept her body intact. In this case, I also bet the Jade Emperor preserved it for this moment.

August 23, 2012 at 7:29 AM

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Even if she has been kidnapped, she must at least be in a comatose state for the soul to leave the body. It makes no sense for the killers to keep a comatose patient with them and run the risk of being found out.

August 22, 2012 at 9:31 PM

August 22, 2012 at 9:32 PM

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It's sweet how LJK's character is taking up the responsibility of many things to help SMA's character find out the truth behind her death. Arang is really a feisty ghost who doesn't give up on herself despite her untimely death.

It's a surprise her body withstood the elements of the weather and decomposition for 3 years. Did the Jade Emperor have a hand in preserving her body?

August 22, 2012 at 9:39 PM

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Thanks for the recap! This is the only drama right now that I'm rushing to watch after I leave work. My chest definitely felt super tight last week when I watched the ep 3 preview at the end of episode 2. How awful it is to see your dead self and to feel so helpless.

While the story has a fantastic feel, the emotions were always real. Arang's loneliness really touched me. She's like the only ghost out there who doesn't have ghost allies. And I feel sorry for all the ghosts without families to conduct rites for them and to put out food.

And can I say how HOT Lee Junki is in this drama. He's in a colorful male hanbok, but still give off such a masculine feel.

August 22, 2012 at 9:40 PM

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Kyah~ My knight in shining armor~<3 Didn't know Eun Oh was trained in martial arts. But honestly how many of our Joseon heroes in dramaland aren't kick ass martial artists? Even though Arang discovering her dead body is a heartbreaking moment, I couldn't help but think how freakin' sweet it was when Eun Oh stepped in front of her and repeated "Don't look." Arang running through the fields with tears streaming down her face while recollecting on her hardships as a ghost made me choke up. Where is Eun Oh when you need him? T__T

I was extremely nervous that Mu Young would be sucked into the vortex never to be heard from again. He is such a complex character; I absolutely cannot wait until we learn his back story. I also love how softhearted the Jade Emperor is to Arang, even negotiating with the King of the Underworld to accommodate her request.

August 22, 2012 at 10:18 PM

I love this show! does anyone realise that this show is broadcasting right now when it's the 7th month of the lunar calendar - ie when the gates of hell open and hungry ghosts get to roam the earth??

its really fascinating that all those 'ghost' stories you heard as a kid is being played out on the screen!!!!

My take is Jul-woo isnt human. Perhaps it has something to do with the souls that disappear (Mentioned by hades)? Am thinking Arang saw or discovered this side of Jul-woo hence she was killed by him. I do believe Arang (Eun-soo) will be the ones who put a stop to the evil Jul-woo.

Cannot wait for the next episode or rather recaps since vikii doesnt work for me! :)

August 22, 2012 at 10:19 PM

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I REALLY LOVE THIS SHOW, the best so far!!! Kudos to writer, director and all actors!!!

Seriously, i watched it onair, i was blank about korean, but the way they showed the show just as clear as crystal! I felt very sad for arang, and i loved to see Eunoh reaction towards the beautiful arang! kkkk

I heard that in episode 4 we will have Arang comes back as a live, this show is getting more and more addicting!

August 22, 2012 at 10:49 PM

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Totally agree w/ GF - ep 2 was mostly cute and comedic which I love, but this ep was all heart (SMA, as usual, did a whiz-bang job).

Love that Arang gives as good as she gets (in the ghost fight); love the tit for tat, but very proper/polite sniping btwn the brotherly deities and love the Shaman girl (that actress is doing a heck of a job w/ both the dramatic and comedic bits).

While the Joo-wal mystery/backstory will definitely be interesting, right now, I'm more intrigued w/ Mu-young's backstory, esp. since there seems to be a deeper connection btwn him and Arang than merely being the "Grim Reaper" doing his duty.

Have to say - don't like seeing SMA as a corpse (even if its just for "pretend").

August 22, 2012 at 10:56 PM

August 22, 2012 at 11:29 PM

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I am still loving it so I'm quite happy. :)

Joo-wal is totally creepy - eeks... I was totally not expecting anything to be off by him other than be part of solving the murder mystery. The fact that he possibly may not be a regular human being is really intriguing and a little frightening. Eeks... so curious!

I love Arang & Eun ho!! Too cute! Eun ho - haha... the opening scene. I love them!! My new favorite OTP. She looked so beautiful in her new clothes.

August 22, 2012 at 11:51 PM

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Wow. This was a really good episode.

I believe (if the subs were correct) that on the full moon the gods cannot see what happens. So I'm thinking she was killed on the full moon by Joo Wal. I don't believe he is a werewolf, he just lets lose every full moon when no "one" is watching. He just made a mistake by killing someone who wasn't a nobody but a daughter of an important figure. I do believe the Jade Emperor knows someone is using the loophole of the full moon to commit murder so he purposefully released Arang.

Another thing. I'm not sure Mu Young actually remembers what his sister looks like. He was searching the fairies faces but I think it was to spark something rather than out right knowing. I believe there could be a chance Arang is his sister but I know that's a long shot since no brother has been mentioned so far. But since he is a reaper for some sort of penance I wonder if he isn't mentioned because no one dare speak of him because he brought shame to the family. Just saying it's a possibility.

That's it for my theories. I love this show so far and I hope it stays strong writing wise. Acting can go nowhere but up in my opinion. Such a strong cast.

August 23, 2012 at 10:52 AM

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i can understand how back then in historical times, your hair in a neat and tidy braid represented your class and your natural habitats. It looked more proper for them. Those with hair all free flow means they were probably slaves or someone of low class.
For us, hair loose and flowy is actually considered beautiful, but for them, it's with the hair tied back in a braid with a ribbon.

Yeah, i know. we've come a long way
Besides, how many times in k-drama land has the hero never noticed the heroine until she had a makeover? ;)

August 23, 2012 at 1:08 AM

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I am giddy happy about this show, wow! The mysteries, all the characters, the cinematography, the soundtrack ... so. cool. And post-army Lee Jun-Ki is ... GULP... Let's hope they can sustain the perfect mix of mystery/fantasy/romance/action over 24 episodes!

One thing I've been wondering about is 'Hades' and Jade Emperor. If I am not mistaken, Jade Emperor in Chinese mythology is the ruler of Heaven AND Hell, no? What's Hades job then? And: Why are they always together? Isn't the King of the Underworld supposed to watch over the underworld (and be there)?

As a side-not, I love Yoo Seung-Ho in this role. I keep wondering whether he goes up to Park Joon-gyu after every shoot to apologize for his lines :)

August 23, 2012 at 1:36 AM

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In mythology...yes. The Jade Emperor is typically considered the ruler of Heaven, Men (Living WOrld), and Hell...so basically all three of the worlds we're seeing. (...although really, Hades be spending a whole lot of time up in Heaven, huh? LOL. He totally is jealous of his twin right now.)

I guess for the sake of the story they kind of split the Jade Emperor up? I mean it'd be confusing to have a Heaven vs. Hell thing when it's the same person. That's why Hades is probably his twin versus an older/younger brother or whatever. It's like it's the same person...split into...two. Two sides of the same coin? Uh. Split personality in two bodies? Something like that...it makes sense. Sort of. In this weird world haha.

Maybe the two are in this limbo, god-filled world with fairies in it...I sure don't see any heavenly people at least. Or maybe Hades just really, really hates hell and really, really likes fairy-land.

Also. Does anyone else find it hilarious that basically everything in this world is a game of Go (and I swear in every drama, I always think they're just placing the stones randomly - never have, never will understand that game and the obsession of ancient dramas with it. It's too smart for me.).

August 23, 2012 at 10:56 AM

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yeah. it was also mentioned in this episode.
hades said something along the lines of punishing arang based on all her bad deeds as a ghost. lol
so i agree with you. he basically is the one who judges whether they be punished or reincarnated/sent to heaven w.e it is that happens after we die.

August 23, 2012 at 3:04 AM

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Thanks for the recaps :D
I watch this show because I love Jun Ki.. But, I slowly fall for Yoo Seung Ho because of the cheeky Jade Emperor, kyaa XD.
My favorite part is when he ask, "Then, what'll you do for me?" with that naughty smile on his face...
*swooonnn*